datalogging with Palm

Mike15

I have a datalogging project built with a stamp that records the acceleration and roll of a rocket. The stamp then records the data into an external eprom. Because of the portability needed for the rocket I need a way of downloading the data. I would like to use a Palm m515.

My qustion is can I use a hyperterminal emulator to download the data from the Stamp to the Palm? And if so dose anyone know of an emulator application for the Palm?

Any help would be great.

Tracy Allen

The best terminal program IMHO for the Palm is "Online", from www.conklinsystems.com/. Alternatively you could roll your own interface with an application like NSBASIC.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Mike15

So with Online and the serial cable from http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=P10804U (My Palms cradle is USB).·I will be able to connect to the Stamp and use the serin and serout commands?

Here is my code for the program. It uses StampDAQ now. But because its in a rocket I need to be able to download the data after each flight at the launch pad. After the data is stored on the Palm I need to be able to download into Excel. Futur versions will use Matlab.

Am I one the right track or is there a better way to acomplish this.

Bean

Mike,
· My SD data logger will be available soon (2 weeks). See www.sddatalogger.com
· I don't know how big your rocket is, but the module is only 1.5" x 2.0".
· It uses very little power, and has 16K of SRAM for storing data fast.
· That data can be written to the SD card (at a much slower rate) by the stamp.
Bean.

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Cheap 4-digit LED display with driver IC·www.hc4led.com


COMING SOON "SD DATA LOGGER" www.sddatalogger.com

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Post Edited (Bean (Hitt Consulting)) : 6/4/2006 9:14:38 PM GMT

Tracy Allen

Yes, with the serial cable, you can use "ONLINE" to offload data to the Palm using SERIN/SEROUT. Once you have the data in the Palm, it will be a pdb file, and it will be transferred to your PC at the next hotsync. The file will probably have one line of junk data at the top, ( .pdb file information), but you can simply lop that off in Excel.

The USB cradle has all the connections necessary for serial connection inside on pads, so it is possible to attach wires to those pads if you are up for a bit of hacking. (I think the M515 uses the 16 pin connector, right?) If you're interested in that, I'll dig up a diagram. The RS232 connection is only three wires, tx, rx and ground. The Palm does not do any handshaking.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Mike15

If you could find the diagram that would be GREAT!

I opened up the cradle and found the pads

·There are two sides one for USB and one for serial. The pads on the serial side are labled D1 to D6,·P1 to P2, and SH2.



Post Edited (Mike15) : 6/4/2006 10:57:53 PM GMT

Tracy Allen

Hi Mike. I located the diagram, attached. To open the cradle you take the feet off and use a #5 (or is it a #6) torx driver to get out the screws. The hotsync button will fall out when you jimmy apart the halves, so look at how it fits in. The picture shows a front view of the circuit board you will see. The USB cable is connected on one side, and the pads for RS232 are open for you to attach wires on the other side. The pads are labeled D1 for data rxd from Stamp to Palm, D2 for txd Palm to Stamp, and P1 or CH1 for ground.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Mike15

Thanks, I'm going to solder it tonight.

Mike15

I got it solder fine, but I'm having a little trouble with the coding.

Im trying to just use my computers hyper terminal to figure the code.(This should work simularly to "Online" right?)

I'm using a seven segment Led to display the digit selected in hyperterminal.

Also the carraige return is not working as I would expect.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Tracy Allen

Hi Mike,

You should include an LF after the CR in the SEROUT statements. Hyperterminal by default does not add the line feed. Alternatively, you can go into the terminal properties dialog and check the box to have HTPE add a line feed.

The Stamp Debug window does add the line feed. On Palm, Online will also expect the CRLF sequence to come from the Stamp, although it too has an option to append it locally.

You also asked about using a timeout with SERIN. It depends on the application. If there is something else the program has to do, besides wait for the user to enter a digit, then the timeout can be insurance that the other task will happen.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Mike15

I got the program to work but when I try to connect to Online nothing happens. I am using the homework board so the connections to the board from the palm would be ground to pin 1, data out from palm to pin 3 and data into palm to pin 4.

I have doulble checked all the connections and solder joints. Any ideas on what could or could not be happening?

Mike15

I have been able to get it to work thanks for the help!

Tracy Allen

Good that it works now. I was going to say to check that the Palm Online is configured to use the serial port, and not IrDA or one of the other ports. For the record, what did you do to make it work?

Also for the record, the latest Palms (Tungsten and TX) use the new 18 pin multiconnector, which is different. The serial signals are still there and can be used in Stamp projects, but they are not RS232 levels. They are 3.3 volt True (marking high) levels, and both serial pins are shared as general purpose i/o with the peripheral detection circuitry. That makes it a bit harder to work with.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Post Edited (Tracy Allen) : 6/11/2006 3:58:08 PM GMT

Mike15

I didn't have my new wires run though a big enough cut out in the case putting the Palm off-kilter when I put it on the docking station.